St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-25

force of graders on the Patten survey when
the st. Paul & Omaha company began
work on a parallel line BY its connection
with the North Wisconsin it had the adj
vantage of being able to open a through
traffic long before the Air Line could have
established connections southwark. Presi-
dent Cable, of the Rock Island, was
holder of stock in the Air Line at this time
and obtained control of the company and
sold its franchises and land grant to the St.
Paul u Omaha company, which has since
absorbed the North Wisconsin and COM
pleted the main line and branch line to
Lake Superior.
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC.
About 1871 James StinsOE, then owner
of one twenty-fifth of the Northern Pacific.
and then as now owner OF great deal
OF property in and about Su-
perior, caused to be surveyed and located
route by which the Northern Pacific should
come into Superior from Northern Pacific
Junction. He also arranged for building
the road by providing for all issue OF bonds.
Mr. Stinson's interests in Superior and his
position in the Northern Pacific company
were such that it was expected great adj
vantages would be gained for Superior by
building this road. The county of Douglas
Issued bonds to the amount Of $3.50, 900 to
aid the construction. and out OF its interest
in the project it came about that Mr.. Wal
bridge succeeded Mi. Stnson and under
took to build the road. He was in New
York concluding his contracts with the
Northern Pacific company when he met a
distinguished citizen of st. Paul, himself
engaged in railway enterprises, and the two
briefly discussed Jay Cooke. then at the
head of the Northern Pacific, and with
whom Mr.. Walbrdge was negotiating.
The st. Paul man expressed lack OF con-
fidence in Cooke by saying of him: ''He
gives away moral tracts. but he goes back on
contracts" Walbridge began work on the
road to the Northern Pacific junction, but
failed to complete it before the Jay Cooke
crash suspended all enterprise in this re-
gion. The county recalled most OF its
bonds, and. by the way. owes only S25, 900
to-day, while the towns have no debts and
taxes are closely paid up. Since then the
Northern Pacific company has built the
road and has obtained therefor big bonus
in Superior property-a part of which it
occupies with coal and iron docks.
OTHER RAILROADS.
The first railroad operated to the head of
Lake Superior was the St. Paul IL Duluth.
Next was the Northern Pacitic-irSt by
purchase of half interest in the St. Paul
q Duluth track from Northern Pacific June
ton to Duluth, and later by building its
independent freight line from Northern
Pacific Junction to Superior. Afterwards
came the st. Paul & Omaha road; the
Northern Pacific extended its main line
east to Ashland and the Wisconsin Central
and St. Paul & Manitoba companies have
established running connections with the
head of the lake-the one by the use of the
Northern Pacific track from Ashland, and
tie other by use of the st. Paul 81 Duluth
and Northern Pacific tracks from Hinckley.
The st. Paul q Duluth and Northern
Pacific companies have their terminal
grounds and structures in Duluth. The
Omaha and Manitoba companies have theirs
on the Superior side of the bay. with trans
fer connections at Duluth. While other
companies which may build to the lake will
have to locate their terminal yards, transfer
houses, docks and elevators on the Superior
side, they will have access 10 the Duluth
docks and the manufacturing districts of
that city and its suburbs over the Northern
Pacific and ST. Paul & Duluth tracks. But,
so far as railroad companies have to make
improvements and give employment West
Superior and Superior have most to
expect from new roads. 1t is believed that
the South Shore & Atlantic railroad
by which the Northern Pacific will have
connection from Ashland with the Cana
dian railroads coming to Sault Ste. Marie,
and also with Lake Michigan (probably
Escanaba) and with the Northwestern lines
in the upper peninsula OF Michigan, VIII be
extended east from Ashland to Superior.
| The Chicago. Burlington Il Quincy railway
system is to be extended to this port. by the
construction of the Red Wing 81 Northern
road. and for this, it is reported. terminal
grounds and harbor frontage have lately
been secured by purchases of property on
the east side of the Nanadji river and on the
Bay of AlloueZ. 1t is believed here that
| the commercial interests of st. Paul and
| Minneapolis. united with the necessities of
| railroads. will sooner or later bring about
the building of another railroad to the head
of the latter from st. Paul Harbor and
| terminal facilities will bring that road to
Superior, and the lay of the land between
st. Paul and the lake will also favor Su-
perior. for it will allow of nearly an air line
road, fully twenty miles shorter than either
of the roads now in operation.
THE IRON BOOM"
! The history of Duluth is doubtless famiI-
!
men who have done most for building up
that city, as we'll as the boom" specula-
tors, are interested in the iron country
northward of Duluth and in the irOn-work-
ing industries which are being established
| in OneOta or West Duluth. These latter
include blast furnace, forge. rolling mill
and nail mills. and their construction has
been begun. The product of the iron mines
on the VermiliOn range will be greatly in.
creased this year by the opening of new
mines and the operations of new compa-
MES; but none Of the ore will be brought
! to- Duluth until the new blast
! furnace is built The old furnace on
Rice's Point was failure. for some reason,
and has not been in operation OF late years.
The boomers have laid out towns on the
range. and are buying and selling claims at
a great rate. The result is inevitable
There will be many disappointed specula-
tors. and gains only for those who sell and
for buyers who can find companies to work
| their mines. The first Vermilion excite
ment in 1S6364, or Whereabouts, when
Eames, the state geologist. reported his dis
coveries OF gold at Vermlion lake, was
more interesting than this iron boom, but ii
also was disappointing.
THE ICE-WATER ROUTE.
| A few years after the st. Paul & Duluth
/ railway was opened the operators under
took to divert part OF the grain carrying
! to the Lake Superior route. That resulted
! in making wheat worth about ten cents a
bushel more to Minnesota producers, by re-
/ duction of freight rates to the seaboard. and
ever since the st. Paul & Duluth has
served St. Paul and all the Northwest as a
check upon and regulator of freight rates.
An energetic employe of the Paul & Du-
luth company at that time was Mr.. Ames,
of Hastings, who had charge of the com
! DanY's grain traffic. He had to advance